Chapter 2

Lillian froze, the word engagement seemed to be playing a constant loop in her brain, she felt dizzy and couldn't give attention to much around her, everything sounded like she was underwater.

She found Calvin's wild gaze, pleading silently for she wasn't sure, but he couldn't offer her any reassurance,

" Ah, here he is, the man of the hour. " Allen Davenport boomed

"This is my son, Callum, boy this is Liliana Covey your fiance"

Lili turned her gaze to the door finding a tall figure blocking said doorway

" I'm sorry for coming late, there were unavoidable circumstances" he muttered. He didn't look particularly sorry, he said nothing to her, gently refusing the drunk mother offered him.

" It's nice to meet you, Callum, your mother spoke a lot about you," Mother said softly,

" Stepmother" Callum intoned sharply, making her mother frown slightly. He smiled as if trying to take out the sting of his words, it only made him look more menacing

" I hope there were all good things," he asked softly and she nodded

Then everyone stood in wary silence, Calvin came to stand by her

" Are you okay?" he asked softly

" I'm not sure"

" I didn't know you had a brother" she whispered again, he shrugged

" We're not extremely close, he's always grumpy" Calvin muttered making a face, she giggled

" See exactly that" he exclaimed, she turned to stare at Callum to find that he was frowning at them " She sighed, he was going to be her fiance. Physically he looked good, with strong features, green eyes, and dark brown hair, he was tall, taller than his brother and father, and for some insane reason he made her stomach flutter like she had butterflies in there but he was so far from what she'd wanted, he didn't look like a quiet man and he didn't look kind either what was she going to do.

" Well, we'll get going" Allen muttered slowly taking his wife's arm,

She had been so out of it, that she had missed all the conversation around her. Calvin pulled her into a slight hug

" I'll see you soon" he muttered, she smiled nodding softly. Callum looked their way and nodded briefly, his face still in what seemed to be a permanent scowl. It took no less than twenty minutes after her life had been imploded beyond imagination, and then they were all gone, she was now left with her parents standing in the empty living room

" Why," she asked softly

" What do you mean by why, the Davenports suggested the engagement and I agreed, our companies will be merged and Covey can then be at the top like it's meant to be" her father spluttered and she sighed turning to meet her mother's guilty stare

" You could have told me, this is my life and I know I don't have much of a say but I thought we were close," she said over her mother's gentle refusal

" Honey we are "

" Not enough for you, I guess," she said softly

" Stop hounding your mother" her father boomed

" Stop that Travis" Mother scolded, she turned to her father

" Of course, I'm sorry, '' she apologized. Without another word she left the living room, ignoring everything else as she took the stairs two at a time. She rushed into her room, locking the door shut behind her. This wasn't going to help her in any way, she was already stuck with this marriage no matter what anyone thought so she had to make the best of it. She reached for her computer and opened it typing in her fiance's name, the search tab came up with multiple results Callum Davenport was a big fish in many circles, although his father was the figurehead of Davenport Industries Callum was the CEO in charge, and was on his worth billions, he hadn't just inherited daddy's money, he was a successful man, that was as far as his life history got, the family was private and Callum even more than the rest, he had no known girlfriends, and was termed the Ice King of construction, she huffed, of course, he was. She shut the laptop and dropped it on the bed. She closed her eyes and fell asleep fitfully.

Her door opened slightly, the next morning, or whatever the hell the time was

" Lili darling," her mother said pushing her head into the door

" I'm fine, and I'm sorry," she said

" So am I" Mother replied as she entered closing the door behind her

" I'm not sure if I'm ready, " she said

" I know dear but you'll have to try, it will be hard and some days you'll feel like you're not going to make it but then you will" she answered taking Lili's hand in hers

" And you'll cry some days like it's all you'll ever do, but then you'll get someone just like you to love, and cherish and they will be the reason you keep on going" she finished, tears running down her face,

" Thank you" she sniffled

"You are welcome"

" Now you have a date, your fiance has asked to take you out which is a good gesture in my opinion" she rambled going to her closet and opening it

" Of course, it is, when is he coming"

" Well he said he'd be here by twelve so you have thirty minutes"

" Mom " she exclaimed rushing out of bed and into the bathroom, she was out and dressed in thirty minutes

" Hurry down Lili" her mother called, frantically she put on her lipstick and passed a brush over her hair. She took the stairs two at a time slowing down when she was almost in the living room, taking a deep breath she straightened and walked in

" There she is" Mother exclaimed

" I'm sorry " she apologized. Callum looked no different than before, his scowl was gone but in its place was a stony blank expression

" That's fine," he said softly, gesturing to the door

" See you later Mom," she said pressing a kiss to her mother's cheek and following him out his hand at her back

" Thank you, I'm sorry again for coming late," she said as they came to stand by his car. He pulled his hand away and nodded towards the door as he walked to the driver's side.

" Get in," he said tersely, his voice like ice, Lili froze

" Are you deaf, get in?" he growled.